Bed-bottom



(No Model.)

JQA. LAMPHIER. BED BOTTOM.v

f Patented Apr. 27, -1897.

v1W: loins vsfms eo., PHDYBFH'ND., WASHINGTON, n. c.

' UNITED Tnrns JOHN A. LAMPHIER, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES A.

` Arnim* LAMPHIER, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

BED-BOTTOM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,397, dated April 27', 1897.

v Application filed April 2l, 1896. Serial No. 588,431. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AJOHN A. LAMPHIER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bed-Bottoms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a bed-bottom designed more especially for metallic bedsteads, although the same is also applicable to other bedsteads.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a bed-bottom which will prevent displacement of the mattress resting upon it, and at the same time permit the blankets or bedclothes to be conveniently and neatly tucked in place in making up the bed.

The invention has the further objects to provide the springs of the bed-bottom with an elastic base of simple construction, so as to render the`bottom more yielding and coinfortable; to provide this base with simple stretching devices for taking up any looseness when necessary, and to secure the springs to the base by a simple and reliable fastening.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan View of my improved bed-bottom. Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-section thereof in connection with a metallic bedstead. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross-section of the same on an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section of the head of the bed-bottom and the bedstead. Fig. 5 is a sectional perspective view of the' fastening whereby the springs are secured to their supporting-base.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the legs or posts of an ordinary metallic bedstead, and B B the side and end rails, constructed of angle-bars in a wellknown manner.

C is an open rectangular frame forming the base of the bed-bottom and preferably constructed of angle-bars having their lower flanges arranged horizontally, as shown. This base-frame is stiffened by diagonal cornerbraces O and a central transverse bracebar O2.

D is anopen rectangular railing or top frame arranged above the base-frame C and constructed of somewhat larger dimensions, the

base-frame being small enough to clear the end and side rails of the bedstead and the top frame of the proper size to fit between the end frames of the bedstead. This top frame preferably consists of round wooden bars connected by metallic elbow-joints e. These top and base frames are rigidly connected together by vertical bolts or rods f, preferably provided at their upper ends with an ordinary wood-screw, whereby they are screwed into the under side of the wooden top frame, while their lower ends pass through openings formed in the horizontal flanges of the angleiron base and are secured thereto by clamping-nuts f f2, applied to the screw-threaded lower portions of the bolts and bearing against opposite sides of said flange, as most clearly shown in Fig. 3. These bolts may, however, be secured to the top frame and the baseframe by any other suitable means, if desired.

The connecting-bolts are arranged at the proper intervals to securely connect the top and base frames, and those at the foot and sides of the bed-bottom are provided near their middle with ashoulder or offset f3, which rests upon the adjacent rail of the bedstead and whereby the bed-bottom is supported in the latter without the use of the customary cross slats or bars. At the head of the bedbottom the connecting-bolts are straight or vertical throughout their length, as shown in Fig. 4. The portion of each angle-bolt f immediately below its shoulder or offset f3 is bent inward obliquely, as shown at f4 in Figs. 2 and 4, and this oblique portion bears against the inner edge of the bedstead-rail, as shown, thereby causing the bolts to seat snugly against said rails and preventing lateral play of the bed-bottom.

G represents the usual upright springs of the bed-bottom, which preferably rest upona flexible support composed of intersecting wires h h, connected with the side and end bars of the base-frame C. Each of these wires is preferably double or composed of two parallel wires, and the end portions there- 0f are attached to horizontal tightening or stretching bolts i, arranged on the opposing bars of the base-frame directly opposite each other. These stretching-bolts are preferably formed at their inner ends with hooks, over ICO which the doubled wires are looped or otherwise engaged, while the outer screw-threaded portions of these bolts pass through smooth holes in the upright flange of the base-frame and are provided with screw-nuts7 which bear against the outer side of said flange. Vhen it is desired to stretch the supporting-wires, the nuts of the bolts t' are simply tightened, whereby the bolts are drawn outward and caused to stretch the wires.

Each of the springs Grests upon one of the intersections of the supporting-wires h h and is secured to these wires by a vertical bolt j, which passes through a horizontal eye g at the lower end of the spring, through the square or rectangular space formed by the two pairs of cross-wires, and through a pair of retaining or clench washers 7s 7.x', which respectively stra-ddle the upper and lower pairs of wires, so as to prevent the wires of each pair from spreading; out of place upon tightening the nut ofthe fastening-bolt. The upper washer is interposed between the eye ot' the spring and the upper pair of wires 71., while the lower washer is interposed between the nut of the bolt and the lower pair of wires 7L', and the opposite edges of both washers are bent or clenched over the outer sides of the adjacent pair of wires, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, whereby lateral displacement of the wires under the strain of the fastening-bolt is elfectually prevented. This forms a cheap and very reliable fastening, which is readily applied to the supporting wires and springs.

Zrepresents stay-wires which connect the upper ends of the outer or marginal series of springs with the upright connecting-bolts f and which limit the expansion of the springs. These wires preferably pass through openin gs formed in the bolts f, as shown in Fi 3. All of the springs may be tied together at their upper ends by the usual stay-wires.

As shown in the drawings, the top frame or railing D extends some distance above the upper ends of the springs G, so that the railing bears against the sides and ends of the mattress L. The railing thus forms a guard around the mattress which confines ,the same in place on the springs, while at the saine time permitting the mattress to yield freely with the springs. This guard-railing also enables the bed to be made up in a sightly manner, as the bedclothes can be neatly tucked between the railing and the mattress.

In my impro ved bed-bottom the base-frame is suspended below the side rails of the bedstead, thus lowering the springs and the mattress correspondingly and obtaining a com paratively lowr bed. As the base-frame is open, very little dust can accumulate thereon and the same is easily cleaned.

A curtain M is preferably hung from the railing or top frame for concealing the lower portion of the bed-bottom and improving the appearance of the bed, this curtain being indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. For this purpose a suspension wire or cord m for the curtain is extended around the outer edge of the railing. This wire or cord is secured at intervals by staples or other suitable fastenings, and the curtain is attached to the wire by ordinary dress-hooks sewed to the curtain and engaging over the wire, or it may be simply tied to the wire with strings.

l claim as my inventionl. In a bed-bottom, the combination with a base-frame, of upright springs attached at their lower ends to said base-frame, an open rectangular guard-frame arranged above the upper ends of said springs, upright rods connecting said base-frame with said guardframe, and stays connecting the upper ends of marginal springs with said rods, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a base-frame and springs supported thereon, of a top frame or railing arranged above said base-frame, and upright bolts or rods connecting said top and base frames and having an offset or shoulder adapted to rest on the rails or ledges of a bedstead, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination with a base-frame and springs resting thereon, of a top frame or railing arranged above said base-frame, and upright bolts or rods connecting said top and base frames and each having an offset or shoulder adapted to rest on the rails or le dgcs of a bedstead and provided below said shoulder with an inwardlyextendin g oblique portion, substantially as set forth.

4t. The combination with a base-frame and springs supported thereon, of a top frame or railing arranged above said base-frame, upright bolts or rods connecting said top and base frames and having an offset or shoulder adapted to rest on the rails or ledges of a bedstcad, and stay-wires connecting the outer or marginal series of springs with said bolts, substantially as set forth.

5. In a bed-bottom, the combination with an open base-frame, and upright springs, of stretching-bolts arranged on opposite members of said baseframe, and spring-support ing wires each having its ends attached directly to a pair of opposite stretching-bolts of the base-frame, whereby the several wires can be stretched individually, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with a top frame and an open rectangular base-frame composed of angle-bars= of vertical bolts connecting said top 'and base frames and passing through the lower horizontal flange of the base-frame, horizontal stretching-bolts passing through the vertical flange of said base-frame, and spring-supporting wires attached at their ends to said stretching-bolts, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with an open baseframe having a filling of wiresarranged in pairs, of a spring arranged over a pair of said wires, a fastening-bolt connecting the base of the spring with said pair of wires and passing IOO IIO

between the same, and a retaining device whereby the wires of each pair are held against spreading adjacent to said bolt, substantially as set forth.

8. In a bed-bottom, the combination with a base-frame having intersecting wires ar ranged in pairs, of a spring arranged over an intersection of said wires, a fastening-bolt connecting the base of the spring with said wires, and retaining devices whereby the wires of each pair are prevented from spreading adjacent to said bolt, substantially as set forth.

9. In a bed-bottom, the combination with a base frame having intersecting wires arranged in pairs, of a spring arranged over an intersection of said wires, retaining-washers straddling the upper and lower pair of wires, respectively, and having their edges clenched or bent over the wires, and a fastening-bolt 'for the spring passing through said washers and between said wires, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 2d day of April, 1896.

JOHN A. LAMPHIER. Witnesses:

CARL F. GEYER, CATHARINE ELMoRE. 

